Student loan forgiveness application site opens for beta testing

The U.S. Department of Education launched a beta site for its student loan forgiveness plan on Friday.

The site could be temporarily paused for assessments, but student loan borrowers will be able to submit applications via the site, which will be reviewed for approval once the site is out of its beta testing phase.

An Education Department spokesperson said in a statement, “This testing period will allow the department to monitor site performance through real-world use, test the site ahead of the official application launch, refine processes and uncover any possible bugs prior to official launch,” CNBC reported.

The New York Times reported that some borrowers were able to apply on Friday, while others received a message that they were in a queue ahead of the formal launch of the website.

“Borrowers will not need to reapply if they submit their application during the beta test, but no applications will be processed until the site officially launches later this month,” an Education Department spokeswoman told the Times.

To see the site and submit an application visit the page at studentaid.gov.

By Douglas Jones, Scripps National.